it is important

I've had this post rattling around in my brain for a little while now. In fact I was going to post it for Mother's Day, but it just didn't happen... turns out I was saving it for this week without even knowing it.

This week is Child Passenger Safety Week and never in a million years would I have thought that this would become a cause that is close to my heart. Heck, I didn't even know there was such a thing as a Child Passenger Safety Week.

Most of you already know that just over a month ago Grandma Sandi and Maya were in an accident. An army truck turned into them causing Grandma Sandi's jeep to rollover. Seeing that jeep, even though I had my baby girl safe and sound in my arms, ranks up there as one of the worst experiences of my life.



You look at that car... and that's not even the worst picture. Mike has pictures on his phone that show just how caved in the top of that car was. Thank goodness Papa Old Beard wasn't with them. I can't imagine how anyone in the passenger seat would have survived. You look at that car and it's hard to imagine that they walked away with some minor scrapes.



This is the picture Maya had me text to Auntie Mel the day after the accident. Uncle Dave and Auntie Mel live two hours away. It's hard to be geographically far away when there is a family crisis, so there were lots of text messages that went back and forth to keep them updated with what was going on. Auntie Mel had texted me asking how Maya was doing.... text her I'm okay, Maya told me and then she made me take this picture of her.

That's a scrape right there on her chin. She had a small cut on her hand, probably from climbing out of the car through the broken glass and some scrapes up near her hair line. That was it.

After the cops had finished talking to Grandma Sandi they pulled Mike aside and asked if Maya had been in a booster seat. Mike told the cop what we both knew to be true, Maya had been in a booster seat. I know without a shadow of a doubt that Grandma Sandi had her properly buckled in and in her booster seat. I am forever in her debt for that.

This accident happened minutes from her house. Their trip was only going to take them about 10 minutes. It's easy in those situations to think, oh it's only a short trip, it will be fine, it's no big deal. It is a big deal. It only takes seconds to make a decision that you could regret for the rest of your life. It's just not worth it. The article linked above claims that only 30% of children who should be using booster seats are actually using them. Can you believe that? Even though 78% of households support the idea of booster seat law. Are you kidding me?

For many nights I went to bed unable to stop thinking about my five year old daughter hanging upside down by her seatbelt. By her seatbelt. As disturbing as that image has been, it's a million times better than the alternative if she hadn't been properly belted in and on a booster seat.

Please. Please, take it from me, a booster seat is absolutely important every time you get in the car.